Gil (2008) suggests, through drama activities, English-language learners could be more effectively motivated than through traditional pedagogies. In his study, the students were given a long-term task, such as a play, to complete, in which the task was divided into several stages throughout the semester. Gil compares a number of features between traditional English learning and English learning through drama. Some of these features directly explain why drama techniques can motivate English learning better than traditional approaches, such as the focus on communication instead of grammar, the emphasis on fluency instead of accuracy, the acceptance of errors, informality through meaningful activities with appropriate real-life language rather than formality in sequenced language items and so on.
Gil also points out a list of reasons explaining why learners of a foreign language lack motivation, for instance, shyness, fear of losing face when he/she makes mistakes, exhibits anxiety, lack enthusiasm, and so on. Then the writer addresses how does drama help these learners. In producing and drama performance, the learners' fear of embarrassment and ‘loss of face' decreases because theatre provides them with ‘masks'. The learners are also more enthusiastic because the tasks are learner-centred and are more interesting to them. Unlike the traditional English classroom, the learners are expected to participate instead of sit and listen.
The learning outcome is very clear: to produce authentic language without the learners feeling that they are consciously undergoing a language-learning process. By providing the learners positive learning experiences, it is very likely to increase their desire to learn. Therefore Gil encourages the learners to focus on the task, which is the play production, rather than on the tool, that is, the target language. Because all learners have a same target of producing a play, in their discussions they so not need to worry about have to produce grammatically accurate sentences. However in such circumstance, grammar is not necessarily totally ignored when they focus on communicating through a target language. They are using the language of real world.
Pacyga, J. (2009) Affecting L2 Attitude and Motivation Through Drama.
Pacyga (2009) uses a device called Attitude and Motivation Battery Test (AMBT) to carry out research and experiments suggesting that, through drama activities, the confidence and motivation of English language learners could be promoted with an active attitude.
Pacyga creates a cluster of motivational variables to study the effect of drama activities, play creation as well as play performance. The study shows that the learners in the class integrated with drama activities exhibit more motivation, less anxiety and more communication-focused compared with those being taught by traditional approach. Pacyga explains that because the students wanted to share their own ideas and communicate with the audience. They were allowed to choose what to communicate as the play was written on their own. This explained why such activities are motivating in an English language classroom.
With the motivation boosted by these activities, the students were more active in using the target language to communicate in order to achieve their common goal. During the process of the activities, students were expected to discuss and share ideas in groups, and present it in front of the whole class. The skills the student gained including speaking in front of a crowd, using English as a tool to facilitate effective communication, and the skill of working with different people were useful in their daily life English. It is therefore good to integrate drama activities when the students are aimed to learn practical and communicative language, rather than focusing on the grammar and structure.
Putus (2008) believes that a foreign language context for practice could be naturally built when drama is carried out in an English language classroom that offers opportunities for learners to explore topics, broaden understanding, and play and use their imagination and creativity. Though the chief goal of the lesson is the same - learning English language, drama is used as a tool to provide learners chances to choose the topics and themes that engage and move themselves, which encourage participation and further motivate the English language learning.
By creating fun through role enactments, the students are to expect they are play drama games, instead of sitting for boring language lessons in which the teach holds power and dominates talking. Once the learners discover fun and positivity in the drama activities, the students actively interact with the fellows and hence increase exposure to English context.
The settings of the drama class are designed to produce similarities and differences with those appear in social context exposed to our daily life. The interactions among students in drama class are then valuable and meaningful because it is also useful in social contexts, where the participants act and interact.
